save on electricity

Jolaaled

I've recently got an electricity monitor, so i can plug in my various appliances and see how much ice they're melting.

One thing that surprised me:
I have a couple of desk lamps (bought from ikea) which plug into the mains. The plug on these lamps is a fair bit bigger than the ordinary 3-pin plugs.. i think it's because there is some extra electrical fangdangery in these plugs, that makes our UK power ok for these (swedish??) lamps. IYSWIM.
Anyhoo....i obvioulsly switch these lamps off when i'm not using them, but i don't unplug them at the wall. However, my electric monitor tells me that they are still drawing power..and quite a lot too. Even when the lamp is off, the plug/box thingy gets quite warm, and - horrors - i've been keeping it plugged in 24/7 (well...not any more!).
hope this is useful for all you leccy-vigilantes.

geordie_joe

Jolaaled wrote: »

Anyhoo....i obvioulsly switch these lamps off when i'm not using them, but i don't unplug them at the wall.

Try switching them of via the switch on the socket.

I know this is often difficult because they hide the sockets where they won't be seen.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but about 10 years ago I lived in a council house that had just been modernised and all the sockets were 3 feet above the skirting boards.

The council said it was a safety feature, to stop small children poking their fingures into the sockets. Some people hated them as they were "on show", but I loved them. You could turn anything off at the socket without bending down or having to move the TV/sofa etc.

Even better, since then the flat and house I have lived in have both had seperate sockets and switches for the waashing machine and fridge in the kitchen. There is a socket underneath the bench for the washer and fridge, but the switch to switch on/off that socket is above the bench. So you can switch these off without pulling them out to get at the socket.

Why can't all sockets be like that? The socket at skirting board level and a switch for that socket about 3 feet higher. That way you can have the switch in sight but not have the plug and cables showing. Even better would be a red led on the switch, so when you switch the lights off to go to bed it will be easy to see what you have left switched on.

vl2588

Also good for areas that flood :cool:

MancBrel

I've been considering getting one of those monitors, but have rather obvious "cost/benefit" feelings about parting with cash for one!

I'm wondering roughly how much recharging AA batteries costs each time I plug them in? Obviously nothing like the cost of new batteries, but it's (thus far) a blind opinion for me!

loveday

You can get these monitors quite cheaply, but new, off ebay.

Poppycat

I got one coming a wireless owl care of the Daily Mail/British gas.

geordie_joe

MancBrel wrote: »

I've been considering getting one of those monitors, but have rather obvious "cost/benefit" feelings about parting with cash for one!

To be honest I have doubts about there worth too.

YES I bought one
YES I used it
YES I saved leccy, and therefore money

BUT, I think it was more of a toy than anything useful. It told me how much leccy each appliance was using, and I was able to create a spreadsheet that showed me how much each appliance used, and how much I could save if I turned an appliance off.

But to be honest I already knew I could save leccy and money if I switched things off. All the meter did was tell me how much so I could have a warm feeling.

A week after buying it I had used it on every appliance in the house and had no further use for it. Although several months later I did get it out and discovered that my computer uses the same amount of leccy in hibernate mode as it does switched off (via the start button).

They are useful if you want to calculate down to the last penny how much you are saving, or to show you which appliances are worth turning off and which aren't. Or even if you need a shock to get you into the habit of turning things off. But they are something you will only use for a short time then never use again, or at least not until you buy another appliance.

geordie_joe

Poppycat wrote: »

I got one coming a wireless owl care of the Daily Mail/British gas.

Free ones are worth it. Do you have to buy the Daily Mail or British Gas to get one?

Poppycat

You had to get it a couple of weeks back, its too late now. It did costs but not much I got that and a plug thing coming

Daily mail Energy Monitor Question (1 2 3 ... Last Page)

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/home/prmts/article-1054676/3-million-energy-saving-bonanza--free-reader.html

looby-loo_2

You had to collect 8 tokens and ring for a code then send off.

jojo_sapphire

Hi,

Has anyone received this monitor from the mail yet? as is been over the 28 days and they havnt cashed the cheque yet.

Thanks